The present invention relates to fittings for connecting flexible conduits to apertures of junction boxes, panel boxes, motors or other similar devices, in a liquid-tight manner.
There are various types of fittings for connecting flexible and corrugated conduits to apertures of junction boxes, panel boxes, motors or other similar devices. Many of these fittings have liquid-tight connectors that achieve a liquid-tight connection between the conduits and junction boxes. One such fitting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,264, which is assigned to Heyco Molded Products, Inc., the corporate predecessor to the assignee of the present invention and present application. More particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,264 discloses a fitting with a liquid-tight internal connector that is specifically adapted for connecting with corrugated plastic conduit and which has many of the same basic elements as the present invention.
A short-coming of the prior art fittings relates to the appearance of the conduit-to-junction box connection. Typically, preparation of the conduit for connection to the junction box involves cutting the conduit so that the conduit is the appropriate length. Cutting of the conduit very often results in the conduit having a jagged, uneven end to be mounted onto the fitting, giving the fitting and conduit assembly a careless and unattractive appearance. Accordingly, there is a need for a fitting that both achieves a liquid-tight connection and also covers the cut jagged end of the conduit mounted thereon.
The present invention relates to single-piece fittings having a connector, a shoulder, an aperture engaging means and a snap-on cuff. The connector in each of the three embodiments discussed herein connects the fitting to a conduit and includes a distal end, a collared portion of larger diameter than the distal end and a small annular shoulder formed therebetween. As conduit is mounted onto the connector, the small annular shoulder and collared portion of the connector exert an outward force on the interior surface of the conduit, resulting in a liquid-tight connection. The connector in each embodiment is also provided with an annular mounting ridge and a plurality of locking flats. A plurality of arcuate indents is formed between the mounting ridge and shoulder of the fitting.
The snap-on cuff in each of the foregoing embodiments includes a washer-like base, having an annular lip on the internal circumference thereof and a plurality of cutouts that are sized and shaped to correspond to the locking flats of the connector. When the snap-on cuff is mounted onto the fitting, the cuff is rotated until the cutouts and locking flats are aligned. The cuff is then pushed into abutting contact with the shoulder of the fitting, whereupon the arcuate indents receive the annular lip and the mounting ridge locks the snap-on cuff onto the fitting. The snap-on cuff also includes an annular wall extending perpendicularly from the outer circumference of the washer-like base. The annular wall conceals the raw, cut end of the conduit from view, resulting in a neater and more attractive outward appearance.
In a preferred embodiment, the connector is externally threaded for connecting the fitting with flexible conduit and the aperture engaging means is of a conventional type having resilient fingers for snap connecting to the aperture of a junction box. In one alternative embodiment, the aperture engaging means is also of a conventional type, but having external threads rather than resilient fingers for connecting to the aperture of a junction box. In another alternative embodiment, the connector is a snap connector having resilient pawls, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,264, for gripping the corrugations of corrugated conduit.